NECK
With their backgrounds in Traditional Irish music, Shane MacGowan's Popes & the legendary London Punk scene, this London-Irish 6-piece's fine pedigree led to them blending a now world-renowned brew of uplifting Irish swirl & ballsy Punk swagger. Plus, typical London inclusiveness & Clash-inspired social awareness saw their Anti-racism anthem 'Everybody's welcome to The Hooley!' hit the UK charts. Also releasing four albums & touring extensively, their kick-arse, high-energy live show has made them firm festival favourites across three continents from Texas to Moscow! - including Glastonbury six times! Thus, they've gained famous fans, a movie appearance, noteworthy musical collaborations & recognition (& the respect of their U.S. contemporaries) as one of the leading bands of the Celtic/Folk Punk scene. Neck are, simply, the real deal. Sin é.
"Manic psycho-ceilídh from the London-Irish heirs to the Pogues' legacy. …not for the faint-hearted, this is incendiary, belligerent stuff" Hot Press, Ireland
“Anti-racist lyrics and a Reel halfway through exemplify Neck’s riotous sound:
as if The Clash were born on the Emerald Isle!” - The Irish Post
Biography
Neck is a six-piece London-Irish Celtic punk band from the North London neighbourhood of 'County Holloway' (known informally thus due to its Irish population). 'Born in a bottle' during late-night drinking sessions in 1994 by Leeson O'Keeffe, a former member of Shane MacGowan and the Popes, and a mixture of Irish emigrant & second-generation Irish drinking buddies, the band blends traditional Irish music with punk rock. Neck take their lead, both musically and ideologically, from two other great London rebel bands: The Clash and The Pogues and distilled that to come-up with their own unique London-Irish brew: 'Psycho-Ceilídh'.
Initially playing exclusively on the London Irish bar circuit "for the free booze and to meet biddies", and with a name serendipitously gleaned from the exasperated landlord at their first gig, who on discovery of their cavalier attitude towards required band possessions (forget amps or drums - they didn't even have a name ), cursed them with the old Irish saying "Ye've a neck like a jockey's bollocks, ye feckers!", they have branched-out considerably, both aspirationally and geographically, since then.
That initial essence of typical Irish elan has served Neck well, seeing them tour extensively throughout the United States (eight trips), Europe (thirty four!), Asia (one - in front of 10,000 in Moscow), Ireland (ten) & the UK - with countless gigs, festivals & parties ranging from Cornwall to The Shetlands; their raucous, high energy live act cementing their reputation as a great festival band. Amongst their many highlights include: Tantsy festival in Moscow Hermitage Garden; Dublin Irish Festival, OH - the second largest Irish festival in the USA; Paas Pop in The Netherlands; The West Belfast Féile an Phobail; Berlin's Punk & Disorderly festival four times; the UK's largest festival, Glastonbury festival, six times; and the UK's Rebellion Punk festival ten(!) times.
Their defiant, uplifting music reflects the life experience of the emigrant and second-generation Irish diaspora, with O'Keeffe's inherited, passionate voice and authentic song-and-tune-writing being considered both faithful to the form, and in direct lineage from his former 'guvnor' and mentor, Shane MacGowan. Combined with the musicianship supporting these 'family heirlooms', Neck have released four albums to date, with their third, 'Sod 'em & begorrah!' being rated variously 3rd and 2nd greatest Celtic Punk album of all time, behind only The Pogues and Flogging Molly. Their natural London inclusiveness and Punk sensibilities came well to the fore also, on their Joe Strummer (of The Clash)-inspired anti-racism anthem "Everybody's Welcome to The Hooley!," which charted in the UK Singles and Indie Charts - and setting an historic precedent by being plugged in the House of Commons!
Their music can also be heard on various Motion Picture soundtracks: on the surreal Pirates of the White Sand short (2005); The Emerald Diamond, a documentary film about the Irish National Baseball Team; - they contributing four songs, including the traditional "Star of the County Down" and the original "Every Day's Saint Patrick's Day."; the Boston-set Gang War Shoot-'em Up Beantown (2007); and the "Capraesque" homage to 'Small Town America Coming of Age' Supermarket (2009). They also actually appeared performing the traditional "Carrickfergus" and the original "The Ferry Fare" in the 1999, Belfast-set, Film 4 Romantic Comedy Drama "With or Without You" , directed by Michael Winterbottom (24 Hour Party People / Family / Welcome to Sarajevo) & starring Christopher Ecclestone (Gone in 60 seconds / GI Joe / 28 days later / Shallow Grave / Dr. Who).
With over half their members drawn from the renowned London Irish traditional music session scene, their authentic, dynamic and spirited musicianship has, rightly, earned them much respect, admiration and even envy. Staying true to those roots, they often perform acoustic 'Unplugged / Irish traditional music session' sets, even alongside full electric ones, and such is their flair, energy and passion - exemplified by O'Keeffe's renowned 'wearing of his heart on his sleeve', that they were awarded the honour by the Irish Cultural Centre of being asked to perform such a Seisiún at the Reception for the Irish team at the London 2012 Paralympics. This was immediately prior to them taking part in the opening ceremony, in order to set the right tone and ambience to the proceedings, and to inspire the team with the right 'fighting Irish' spirit!
Subsequent to this renown, various members have been invited to appear both live and on other band's recordings. The most well known being O'Keeffe playing in the Folk-Punk 'Super group', Folk Finger, with former band-mate , Danny, from The Popes and Cush & Ricky from The Man They Couldn't Hang; as well as guesting, on banjo (as 'Paddy O'Love'), with the Alabama 3; and even co-writing an original song "That's It, I Quit" on the Hayseed Dixie album "No Covers".
This all leads to them being recognised as one of the leading bands on the international Celtic punk, Folk Punk and Street Punk scenes, alongside their US contemporaries Dropkick Murphys and Flogging Molly, and such is their influence that not only is the Boston, Massachusetts-based website covering the Celtic Punk scene, Shite 'n' Onions, named after one of their tunes, but bands as far flung as in Germany and the USA now cover their songs, while O'Keeffe even gets name-checked in songs by other bands. They've even picked-up famous fans along the way, including the likes of Jake Burns & Johnny Depp!
Furthermore, despite their renowned globe-trotting, and their now well proven, & much-lauded, talents and abilities, they remain close, proud and true, to their 'County Holloway' Irish emigrant roots & that, now ubiquitous, London-Irish invention, the Irish traditional music session - to paraphrase the old Irish saying: "Ye can take the man out of the Irish pub, but ye can't take the Irish pub out of the man!". I think they'll drink to that (although, apparently, they'll drink to anything...) - - sláinte!